Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Here is the latest round of Mode-S/ADS-B Military/Government intercepts logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC and sorted in date/time order. Busy milair day here on the radio ranch.

Saturday, August 20, 2016

A new Mode-S call sign has showed up in some of their MH-65 helos and it is a bit intriguing. We are seeing the Mode-S call sign ENDGM followed by the last two digits of the aircraft serial in some of their MH-65 Mode-S intercepts. The latest list I have is below all from southeast US ADS-B boxes.

AE265E 6504 ENDGM04 2016-01-26 14:59:19 MH-65D United States USCG

AE2666 6512 ENDGM12 2016-02-09 21:11:09 MH-65D United States USCG

AE2667 6513 ENDGM13 2016-04-03 18:33:50 MH-65D United States USCG

AE266F 6521 ENDGM21 2016-05-02 13:03:39 MH-65D United States USCG

AE2673 6525 ENDGM25 2016-07-12 15:20:11 MH-65D United States USCG

AE2681 6539 ENDGM39 2016-06-08 18:42:45 MH-65D United States USCG

AE268A 6552 ENDGM52 2016-06-08 22:22:50 MH-65D United States USCG

AE269A 6568 ENDGM68 2016-06-10 15:28:10 MH-65D United States USCG

AE26B5 6595 ENDGM95 2016-07-29 19:24:11 MH-65D United States USCG

AE26B6 6596 ENDGM96 2016-02-23 17:57:39 MH-65D United States USCG

AE26BB 6604 ENDGM04 2016-06-21 03:46:07 MH-65D United States USCG

Anybody want to hazard a guess what the USCG is using the Mode-S call sign ENDGM (probably short for End Game) for? Contact me via email at masthead address above.

You will any be able to hear the above call signs if you are very close to the base. And if you are within LMR ground range and are equipped to monitor P25 trunked systems, I need some help checking out some frequency information I have on hand for Cherry Point and areas bases. If you have some time and are so equipped please contact here via the email address in the masthead.

For well over a month now I have been seeing an increase in US Army aviation activity in central and eastern Europe. This morning I identified one of the units as the 3-501 AVN (Assault) based out of Fort Bliss/Biggs AAF flying the UH-60M. Turns out they are forward deployed to Europe conducting what DoD calls Operation Atlantic Resolve.

From the El Paso Times an article dated May 8 by David Burge:

FORT BLISS – Soldiers from Fort Bliss’ air-assault helicopter battalion have been busy training since December for their next mission – to deploy to Europe and show support for U.S. allies on that continent.

About 400 aviation soldiers, mostly from 3rd Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, will deploy to central and eastern Europe in mid-summer to support Operation Atlantic Resolve, said Lt. Col. Jason Arriaga, the battalion’s commander and commander of the aviation task force that will be deploying.
Joining the 3-501st will be some soldiers from sister unit, 2nd Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, Arriaga said. Both units are part of the 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade.
The task force will be gone for nine months.

Operation Atlantic Resolve is an ongoing show of commitment and resolve by the United States toward its NATO and other European allies.

While over there, the aviation task force . . . will do some of its own training, will train with various European nations and will support ongoing training at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany, Arriaga said.

The Apocalypse Battalion, as 3-501st is nicknamed, will bring its M model Black Hawks, the latest version of the helicopter. Sister unit 2-501st will be bringing the latest version of specially equipped Black Hawks that are used for medical evacuations.

These soldiers joined together to participate in both Bulldog Focus and Iron Focus with 3rd Brigade Combat Team earlier this year at Fort Bliss.

They also went with 3rd Brigade, also part of the 1st Armored Division, for its April rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. The 3rd Brigade is preparing for its own deployment to Kuwait later this spring or summer.

Apocalypse has supported and participated in numerous training exercises here at Fort Bliss, including past Iron Focus events and the Network Integration Evaluation, which is held twice a year.
The battalion has also gone to NTC twice in the past year and a half. In addition to its recent trip to the Mojave Desert, Apocalypse went in September 2014 to support what was then Fort Bliss’ 4th Brigade before it reflagged to 3rd Brigade.

Elements of 3-501st also went to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., in January to take part in 1st Brigade’s rotation there.

It will be just the third aviation unit to go over to support Operation Atlantic Resolve since that mission began in the spring of 2014, Arriaga said.

Factor in this deployment along with the buildup of US assets in the Baltic States and the massive buildup by the Russians all along their border with Eastern Europe and we have to watch very carefully a potentially serious situation in Europe.

More as we get it and be sure to follow our twitter feed @MilcomMP for current breaking events and news from our Milcom Monitoring Post.

Wednesday, August 03, 2016

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. - Five bombers from all three of the United States' strategic bomber bases completed a mission Monday designed to test the force's long-range, global-strike capability while training and integrating with key allies and partners.

The mission, POLAR ROAR, involved three nonstop, simultaneous flights of three B-52 Stratofortresses and two B-2 Spirits.

One B-52 from the 2nd Bomb Wing flew from Nellis AFB, Nev., to the North and Baltic Seas and through the English Channel, conducting intercept training with Danish F-16s supporting NATO's continuous air policing mission, JAS-39 Gripens from Sweden and other allies and partner nations. The bomber then conducted intercept training with North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)-assigned Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 fighter aircraft before returning home to Barksdale AFB, La.

Two B-52s from the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D., flew over the North Pole and mainland Alaska, where they conducted intercept training with NORAD-assigned U.S. F-22s and an inert weapons drop at the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC).

Simultaneously, two B-2s from the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo., flew over the Pacific Ocean to Alaska's Aleutian Islands, where they practiced intercepts with NORAD-assigned U.S. F-15s and conducted an inert weapons drop at the JPARC.

The POLAR ROAR mission included training in polar navigation and weapons operations, as well as integration with NORAD and NATO allies and partners. It was designed to ensure crews maintain the readiness and proficiency necessary to provide an always-ready global strike capability, It also tested the bomber force's ability to support three synchronized flight paths encompassing more than 55,500 miles.

"POLAR ROAR was specifically designed and closely coordinated with our allies to ensure we are integrating our bomber capabilities with their military assets to the maximum extent, strengthening and improving our ability to work with our allies and partners toward mutual goals," said U.S. Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney, U.S. Strategic Command commander. "The unique, real-time training with NORAD and NATO allies and partners that was afforded by POLAR ROAR enables us to build enduring relationships necessary to confront the broad range of global challenges."

U.S. Strategic Command routinely conducts strategic bomber operations that provide valuable opportunities for bomber crews to integrate and train with allies and partners and other global combatant commands in a variety of missions.

Most recently, B-52s deployed to RAF Fairford, U.K., in June, to support Exercises BALTOPS and SABER STRIKE.

USSTRATCOM bombers have also conducted intercept training with UK Royal Air Force and Royal Netherlands Air Force aircraft and NORAD-assigned Canadian fighters during POLAR GROWL in April 2015, supported the largest NATO exercise in the last 20 years in TRIDENT JUNCTURE in November 2015, and deployed to Moron Air Base, Spain, for Exercises COLD RESPONSE 16 and SERPENTEX in February through March 2016.

Strategic bombers have also participated alongside NORAD-assigned forces in major training exercises, most recently in October 2015, when B-52s flew to Goose Bay, Canada, during exercise VIGILANT SHIELD.

PAPA AIR BASE, Hungary -- Okay, that is not how the quote actually ends but
on a day of sunshine and blue skies at Pápa Air Base, Hungary, the sound of
freedom echoes through the air as F-16s conduct training exercises and
suddenly one can not envision that quote ending any other way than with F-16s
replacing "a little flower" in Andersen's' famous quote.

From
July 15th to August 5th 2016, eight F-16s and approximately 200 Airmen from
the 140th Wing and the 120th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Colorado Air
National Guard will be deployed to Hungary in conjunction with
Operation Atlantic Resolve.

"OAR is a demonstration of continued U.S.
commitment to collective security through a series of actions designed to
reassure NATO allies and partners of America's dedication to enduring
peace and stability in the region in light of the Russian intervention in
Ukraine." (www.defense.gov).

Col. Floyd Dunstan, 140th Wing
Commander, stated "the overall mission of the 140th WG and the 120th FS being
deployed to Hungary is for our flying training deployment, which is a
training we do on an annual basis. We had an opportunity to come over here
and support the European reassuranceinitiative and do some flying with the
Hungarian air force and also be able to support Joint Terminal Attack
Controller training for the Hungarian and Slovenian armed forces."

The
COANG routinely rotates forces in and out of Europe, which enhances
the strength of NATO alliances without the need to permanently base
additional aircraft and Airmen in Europe.

Dunstan stated, "The role of
the COANG in support of European stability operations is greatly important
and for us to be able to deploy with our NATO partners, Hungary and Slovenia,
is very significant because it allows us to align our capabilities and
further integrates the multiple armedforces."

The 120th FS will be
doing air to air missions with the Hungarian Gripen fighter aircraft, close
air support and forced air control support with the Hungarian JTACs and
Slovenian JTACs. They will also be participating in cross-border flights with
deployed U.S. Air Force A-10s and KC-135s fromother U.S. Air National Guard
bases and allied nation air forces in Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic and
Slovenia.

"These are bread and butter missions that we do everyday, no
matter what theater we are in, with the F-16" said Dunstan.

During
this deployment, the 120th FS will also conduct in-flight training missions
with the Slovenian air force as part of the State Partnership Program,
through which Colorado and Slovenia support one another's needs
and improve the strategic objectives of both countries.

A recent
initiative between the two countries is Pocek Range in Slovenia. Members of
the 140th WG have been instrumental in the development, construction and
training of the new range and just recently, were successful in bringing the
range up to NATO standards. Reaching NATO standards is significant because
not only is Slovenia an SPP country, but many NATO countries, including
Hungary utilize the range. U.S. F-16s from Aviano Air Base, Italy, also rely
on Pocek Range for training missions.

The mission of the NATO
organization is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members through
political and military means. Our NATO alliance, our ongoing commitment to
Operation Atlantic Resolve and our continued rotation of forces through
Europe, serves as a reminder that "Justliving is not enough...one must have
sunshine, freedom and F-16s."

Russian Interfax news agency reported that Russia may attempt to compensate
for the increase in NATO's military activity by placing two new radar
stations in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea, which would be able to control
the 200-mile coastal zone.

"It is expected that modified Podsolnuh
(Sunflower) over-the-horizon radar units will start combat duty in the Baltic
Sea in 2017," Interfax's source said, adding that similar radar could be
deployed in the Crimea in 2017. "It can see any warship that sails through
the Bosporus Strait."

The Podsolnuh radar system passed the Russian
government tests in 2006. There are three stations currently on duty: one in
the Sea of Okhotsk, another in the Sea of Japan and the third in the Caspian
Sea.

Podsolnuh allows its operators to automatically and simultaneously
detect, track and classify potential threats beyond the radio horizon. It can
find up to 300 offshore objects and 100 air objects, determine
their coordinates and transfer them to targeting complexes and systems of
armed naval vessels and air defense systems. In June, Podsolnuh's
developer, RTI, told Interfax that the company plans to supply the Ministry
of Defense of the Russian Federation with several more radars in the
future.

"In 2017, the Russian Defense Ministry plans to purchase several
stations for the Navy that will be deployed in the Arctic, as well as at
the southern and western borders of Russia," said the Director General of
RTI, Sergey Boev.

In March, Podsolnuh guided warships of the Caspian
fleet equipped with the Caliber-NK missile complex during naval military
exercises.

Monday, August 01, 2016

Here is the latest round of Mode-S/ADS-B Military/Government intercepts logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC and sorted in date/time order.

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas—Col. Lawrence M. Martin Jr., Air Mobility Command deputy A3, lands a C-130J Super Hercules here Jan. 21. The aircraft is the fifth of 28 to be delivered to Dyess by 2013, replacing the current aging fleet of C-130 Hercules models. “Today marks the day where the capability of 317 AG, Air Mobility Command and the Air Force has significantly increased, and starts another 50 years of C-130 presence in Abilene,” said Col. Dan P. Dagher, 317th Airlift Group commander. (Air Force photo/ Airman First Class Courtney Moses)

The C-130s out of the 317AG in Dyess (call sign Aegis) have been around this weekend with us here in the mountains using our low level IR/VR routes for training. A couple even bussed the shack at 2500 feet on Saturday and another came in at low level on Sunday.